Chicken Pic of the Day

LaFonda on the front porch next to wilting chrysanthemums
(see the little pile of poo on the porch?) ;-)

Chicken Pic of the Day

Rosa hiding in the dying gladiolas

New Stuff

Recycled Sterling Silver Wedding Bands
{ custom order; sold }

Moissanite & recycled sterling silver solitaire with matching anniversary band

Carlos the rooster

Have I already mentioned that Matt's mom made the most adorable costume for Carlos to wear for Halloween? His preschool is having a little parade every day this week where all the kids get to put their costumes on for a while - aren't they the cutest?

New Stuff

Here's a somewhat better photo of the pendant I made the other day -

'Peace' pendant - recycled sterling silver and recycled 14k gold

And a few new rings -

Labradorite & recycled sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

California pink tourmaline, recycled sterling silver, & recycled 14k gold ring, size 6.5
{ to be listed soon in my shop }

Recycled sterling silver wedding rings
{ custom order; sold }

Oink.

I made this pendant today...

It's recycled sterling silver with a little piggy in recycled 14k gold. Oh, and a 14k gold border as well. I think it turned out really cute, although I have been having trouble getting the finish to be perfectly mirror-shiny... I may keep this one for myself; I'm kind of attached to it. I'll try to get some better pictures tomorrow - I just snapped this one as I'm wearing it here in the studio.

One New Ring...

Just a quick post to show this cute little moissanite ring I just finished. The stone is pretty petite - 4mm in diameter - smaller than anything I've set with this method before, but I think it's really cute. It's a special order for one of my very best customers, and she's going to wear it stacked with one of these on either side.

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

Awwwwww.

Wah.

Don't you hate it when you find exactly what you want but it's out of your price range?

My heart's desire - Chooka Degrade Fade Vibrant Pink Raspberry Rain Boots

Update, 10/24/08 - I totally just ordered these with my birthday money. Thanks, Mom! :-)

New Stuff

Mexican fire opal & recycled sterling silver ring, size 7

'Dusk' ring trio - lavender chalcedony, blue tourmaline, kyanite, & recycled sterling silver, size 6.5

Sunstone & sterling silver pendant
{ custom order; sold }

Tourmaline ring trio - pink, blue, and green tourmaline with recycled sterling silver, size 8

Why I love Peaceful Prairie

Ah, she's done it again. There's a new post by the amazing and talented Joanna Lucas on the Peaceful Prairie blog. Her posts are few and far between, but so worth the wait. This time she writes about some of the chickens at the sanctuary. I strongly encourage you to read the whole thing, but if you're pressed for time, at least read this last paragraph...

She dreams of her peaceful world, head snuggled under my arm, I dream of mine: a world where the wretched of the earth are free to live on their own terms -- not ours -- and die of their own failings -- not ours. But it's one and the same world -- the world we carry imprinted in our sentient souls. The world we all need, seek, crave, bruise ourselves struggling to build, ache to have and to hold, wither without. The world on the other side of the catastrophically unjust and unbalanced world that our species has created. We call it a vegan world. But it is not a new, separate, or special world. It is not a world apart. It's just the world. This world. Restored.

Thank you Joanna.

Boots!

We have been feeling pretty poor lately (who hasn't?), so I've been trying not to spend money on anything non-necessary, but I think I need some new rain boots, and these are so inexpensive, I think I can justify it. :-) But which should I buy???

Basic black - simple, goes with everything.

Should I channel my inner girly-girl?

Or get crazy with a wedge heel and polka dots?

Help!

New Stuff

A simple but elegant beaded necklace - Swarovski simulated pearls, sterling silver 'stardust' rondelles, and chunky faceted labradorite rondelles. { to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Rustic turquoise & recycled sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Labradorite & recycled sterling silver ring, size 8.5
{ to be listed soon in my Etsy shop }

Another view of the same ring, which uses a box-construction technique to achieve a really substantial and stylish band.

And finally, the same ring on the hand.

Birthday Party Time!

Carols' 3rd birthday is on the 21st, but we had his party today.

Grandma Thelma worked her decorating talents on this cute cake. Carlos requested a sheep on his cake this year.

When everyone gathered around to sing Happy Birthday, Carlos looked a little overwhelmed...

...but he soon adjusted to being the center of attention...

...and by the time the song was over, he was clapping enthusiastically.

Next came pinata time!

Whack it!

Candy!!! Toys!!!

Hope your day was as fun as ours. :-)

A couple of new rings

Larimar and recycled sterling silver ring, size 7

Chunky rutilated quartz ring, size 11.5

That was disappointing...

Well, I just finished watching Oprah. This is not my usual routine - I just tuned in because the vegan/animal rights community has been abuzz these past few days about the fact that Oprah would be doing a show today investigating the living conditions of the animals that become food for the majority of Americans. I had hoped that she would give some validation to the choice many of us have made to live as vegetarians and vegans, but unfortunately, the show amounted to nothing more than a romanticized portrayal of how great 'free range' farming is. Ugh.

Oprah also talked a lot about Proposition 2, which is coming up here in California for voters to decide in November. It would make living conditions for pregnant sows, veal calves, and laying hens ever-so-slightly better than they are now. I have mixed feelings about this bill, although I will ultimately vote 'yes.'

Well, this is complicated stuff and I could go on indefinitely, but I need to go wake Carlos up from his nap and take some dinner to Matt at the fire station, so maybe I'll think about elaborating later tonight and tomorrow...

More New Stuff

Chunky aquamarine & recycled sterling silver ring, size 8

Kyanite & recycled sterling silver ring
{ custom order; sold }

Labradorite & recycled sterling silver earrings for me :-)
(but I can make more if anyone else wants some!)

Dark pink tourmaline & recycled sterling silver ring, size 6.5

This is a big, chunky ring. The stone is really gorgeous in real life.

Forgot one...

I meant to include these in the overstock list I posted yesterday...

I have two of these fancy faceted smoky quartz cabs left. One is 17mm ($28) and the other is 15mm ($26). Email me if you'd like to purchase either or both.

OVERSTOCK!!!

I have come to the sad realization that I have waaaaay more cabs and stones on hand than I am ever going to get around to using, so I'm letting some of my private stock go at really good prices, including some pieces that are a lot higher-end than what I usually sell in my bead shop. I'm posting them here on my blog first, in hopes that some of you, my lovely customers and friends, will just email me about anything you're interested in, to help save me the time of listing every single thing on Etsy.

Vessonite cab, 15mm x 18mm, $18

Vessonite cab, 12mm x 16mm, $16

Pink tourmaline cabs, 10-11mm, $50 each

Pink tourmaline cabs, 11-12mm, $60 each

Carved pink tourmaline cab, 17mm, $28 {SOLD}

Nevada variscite cab, 20mm x 34mm, $44 {SOLD}

Califorina vesuvianite cab, 12mm x 14mm, $34

Mexican fire opal cab, 7.5mm x 9mm, $14 {SOLD}

Pietersite cab, 22mm x 33mm, $36

Pietersite cab, 19mm x 41mm, $32

Pietersite cab, 20mm x 40mm, $34

Blue pietersite cab, 16mm, $14 {SOLD}

Crazy lace agate cab, 28mm x 39mm, $12 {SOLD}

Druzy quartz, 10mm x 12mm, $15

Carved green tourmaline cabs, 11mm x 21mm, $48 (set of two)

Larimar cab, 13mm x 18mm, $10 {SOLD}

Lepidocrocite cabs, $32 (set of three) {SOLD}

Charoite cab, 16mm, $20 {SOLD}

Charoite cab, 14mm x 25mm, $16

Huge citrine cab, 17mm (11mm dome), $20 {SOLD}

Carved watermelon tourmaline cab, 18mm x 42mm, $80

Bi-color tourmaline cabs, 10mm x 22mm, $34 (set of two) {SOLD}

Bi-color tourmaline cab (mostly green), 13mm x 18mm, $12

Bi-color tourmaline cab, 11mm x 22mm, $12 {SOLD}

Bi-color tourmaline cab, 18mm x 24mm, $16 {SOLD}

Faceted Oregon sunstone gemstone, 5mm x 7mm, $8

Faceted Mexican fire opal gemstones, 4mm, $12 (set of five) {SOLD}

Enormous faceted amethyst gemstone, 14mm, $86

Another huge faceted amethyst gemstone, 14mm x 17mm, $68

Faceted aquamarine gemstone, 5mm, $32

Faceted California citrine gemstone, 8mm x 10mm, $32

Faceted Oregon sunstone gemstone, 6.5mm x 9.5mm, $12